WARBLER. 97 



95.— CHOIRTSTER WARBLER. 



Le Coriphee, Levail. Afr. iii. 85. pi. 120. f. 1. 2. 



SIZE of the Nightingale, and not very unlike it in general 

 colours. Bill and legs dusky black; irides brown ; the plumage in 

 general above dull brown; beneath the same, with a rufous tinge; 

 between the bill and eye a streak of black ; over the eye, from the 

 the bill, one of white; chin white ; sides of the chin, and fore part 

 of the neck pearly blue grey ; the tail rather long, and cuneiform, 

 dusky towards the ends of the feathers, all of which, except the two 

 middle ones, have white tips. 



The female is smaller, the plumage less deep, and the whole of 

 the under parts, except the white chin, of a pearly blue grey. 



Found in the neighbourhood of the Cape of Good Hope, in the 

 Mimosa woods near the Rivers Sondag and Swarte Kop, and from 

 thence to Camdeboo: it sings more like a Nightingale than any 

 other bird, with a note, perhaps less animated and lively, but more 

 tender and delightful ; frequently in the evening, like our European 

 songster, and in dull weather, after soft rain, the whole day through. 

 It begins to sing in October, and in November makes a nest of moss 

 and stalks, lined with hairs; lays from three to five blue-green eggs, 

 changing to brownish grey towards the larger end. In the nest of 

 this bird M. Levaillant found the egg of the Crested black Cuckow, 

 which is white, and at least double the size of its own, yet was 

 hatched with them. 



96— PIPING WARBLER. 



LeGrivetin, Levail. Afr. iii. 80. pi. 118. f. 1.2. 



THIS is a trifle less than the Nightingale. Bill, legs, and irides 

 light brown ; base of the under jaw, the mouth, and tongue yellow ; 



VOL. VII. O 



